Vending machine



v1,626,896 J. B. wATLlNG VENDING IACHINE Filed lmy 24, 1924 12gqv if v 15 *M 5 l A gg Z0 y 24. 20

Ja/W WM5@ -yT-MMTM Www* Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOHN B. WATIING, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed May 24,

This invention relates to vending machines but more particularly to cabinets or cases for the same and has for its primary object to provide a simple, durable and economical construction which will be attractive in appearance.

These machines are generally installed in public places where they are frequently subjected torough treatment and it 1s necessary that the cabinet be constructed to withstand this abuse as far as possible. It is also important that the cabinet may be economically repaired when damaged. The nature of these machines demands that a considerable part of the apparatus be enclosed in glass to permit the operation to be observed. Heavy plate glass must be used in order to secure sufficient strength and it is advisable that this be in small sections or panes to reduce the cost of replacement.

.The construction of the cabinet must be suchthat the panes of glass may be quickly and easily mounted and, when once mounted, cannot be removed by unauthorized persons. My improved cabinet fulillsall of these requirements.

The present device is similar in character to that forming the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 650,048., filed July 7 1923, and reference may be had thereto for a. more full description of the construction and mode of operation.

The many other objects and advantages of my invention will be better understood by reference to the following specification when considered in connection with the accoinpanying drawing illustrating va selected embodiment thereof, in which y Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and Ilare detail sectional views1 and i Fig. 5 is a detail elevation.

AReferrfmg to the drawing, the reference numeral 5 indicates the cabinet which is preferably of elongated form with a separate lock box or housing 6 secured upon the rear end thereof. This housing contains the `vending mechanism and the magazine for the gum, neither being shown as they form no part of the present invention. The frame of the cabinet includes transverse partitions 7 and 8 forming respectively the front and rear walls of the shooting com- 1924. Serial N0. 715,558.

partment. A gun 9 projects through the partition 7 and is loosely mounted therein to enable it to be sighted at one of the targets 10 in the rear partition S. This gun is of a well-known type intended to discharge a coin inserted therein and forms no part of the present invention. The targets 10 are merely openings of different sizes in the partition 8. The passage of the coin through any one of these openings renders the gum discharging mechanism operable. This mechanism is operated by a handle 12 on the front end of the cabinet. The gum is discharged into a pocket 13.

The walls 111 and 15 of the cabinet may be made of wood, metal 0r other suitable substance but it is advisable that the upper portion of the cabinet between the partitions 7 and S should be of glass to enable the operator to observe his shots. Heretofore I have generally used a single piece of curved glass such as is shown in my co-pending application referred to but I have found in practice that such a construction is liable to be broken and costly to replace.

In my present cabinet construction the glass top is formed of separate panes so that when any of these are broken, only the broken panes need be replaced and the cost of repairs is thus greatly reduced. Furthermore, these panes are preferably flat so that standard plate glass may be used; `In the embodiment shown in the drawing, this top comprises a central pane 17 and oppositely disposed inclined panes 18 and 19.

Each of the partitions 7 and 8 is provided with o'ppositely inclined ribs 20 .and 21, the ribs 20 being disposed opposite .to each other in the cabinet as are the ribs 21. The lower edges of the panes 18 and 19 respectively rest on the chanifered upper edges of the walls 14 and 15 and are preferably yieldingly held against the inner faces of the ribs 20 and 21. For this purpose I have provided cushion i'nembers or blocks 22 which are secured upon the partition by'screws or other suitable means and spaced from the vcorresponding ribs substantially the thickness of the pane. These panes are inserted in the cabinet by permitting the pane to slide downwardly between the ribs and their corresponding cushion members until the lower edge of the pane rests on the wall. It will be evident that any application of force tending to` break the pane i oc CII

would occur on the outer face of the pane. This Would be resisted by the cushion members and the yielding action of these members would frequently prevent the breaking of the pane. Various forms of yielding supports for the inner faces of the panes might be provided, as Will be readily evident, but l [ind these blocks entirely satisfactory. VEhe upper edges of the panes 1S and ll) may be protected by metal strips as 2t and 25 resikiectively.

The forward end of the central pane 17 preferably rests on the upper cushion members 22 on the rear face of the partition 7 and lits between a rib 2G above the pane and lugs 2T disposed opposite the side edges thereof. '.lhe rear end of this pane 17 similarly rests on the upper cushion members QQ on the front face of the partition 8 and is adapted to be held in place thereon by a detachable rib il which is secured to the partition by screws or other suitable means after the pane has been placed in proper position. lhis rib over-lies the pane and is provided at its ends with dependingl portions il) which prevent sideivise movement of the pane in the same manner as the fixed lugs 2T at the forward end.

The central pane 1T is removed from the cabinet by detaching the rib 28, lifting the rear end of the pane suliiciently to clear the upper edge of the partition S, and drawing the pane rearwardly until the front edge of the pane has passed from beneath the rib Q6. The panes i8 and 119 may then be lifted cdgewise troni the cabinet. In order to prevent the iuiauthorir/,ed removal of the panes, fl prefer to insert the attaching screws for the rib in from the rear face of the partition Ea so that the heads of the screws are enclosed in the lochr box or housing 6 and can only be engaged when this housing is opened.

From the foregoing description itwill be obvious that my improved cabinet fulfills all the reipiirements setforth. The cushion membersl reduce breakage very materially. 'llie panes are comparatively small and may be replaced at low cost. Ordinary flat glass may be used. .finy or all of the panes may be quickly and easily removed by simply releasing tivo screws. The panes are securely held in the cabinet and cannot be ren'ioved by unauthorized persons.

l am aware that the form and arrangement of parts may be considerably varied without departing from the spirit of my invention and l reserve the right to make all such as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

l claim as my invention:

l. Means forniing a cabinet comprising plural sections. certain of which are fixed and others of which are removable with respect to the assembly, retaining devices on the lixed sections for preventing displacement of the removable sections in one direction, and inherently yieldable retaining devices also carried by the fixed sections for cushioning the removable sections and preventing their displacement in another direction, said yieldable retaining devices being positively secured to the fixed sections and adapted for rolling contact with the removable sections on occasion for the purpose defined.

2. A cabinet comprising side walls and lend walls, said end walls having inclined ribs, transparent wall sections mounted on the side walls beneath said ribs, resilient retaining blocks carried by the end Walls and engaging the inner faces of said wall sections, a transparent top ivall section ez;- tending between the end walls and overlying the top edges of the side wall sections and supported on certain of .said resilient blocks, and means carried by the end Walls for engaging the top portion of the top Wall section to secure 1t 1n position.

In a cabinet, a frame having a housing at one end, side walls and end Walls extending above the side Walls, resilient supporting members larried by the end Walls, transparent panels supported thereby in inclined positions, means to retain said panels against outward displacement, a transparent top panel resiliently supported between the end walls and overlying the aforesaid panels, retaining members carried by one end wall to engage the top panel and prevent upward or lateral displacement thereof, and retaining means carried by the other end wall to similarly secure the top panel in position.

4l. ln a cabinet,a frame having a housing at one end, side Walls and end Walls eX- tending above the side walls, resilient supporting members carried by the end walls, transparent panels supported thereby in inclined positions, means to retain said panels against outward displacement, a transparent top panel resiliently supported between the end Walls and overlying the aforesaid panels, retaining members carried by one end wall to engage the top panel and prevent upward or lateral displacement thereof, and retaining means carried by the other end Wall to similarly secure the top panel in position, said latter retaining means being secured in position from within the housing to render the same inaccessible and prevent surreptitious removal of the top panel.

A. Vcabinet .including a frame having end `Walls and side Walls of opaque material, the side Walls terminating short of the upper edges of the end walls and having chamfered upper edges, oppositely inclined ribs adjacent the end Walls, transparent panels beneath said ribs and resting on the chamfered upper edges of the side Walls, resilient means co-acting With the inner faces of said lll) lflll panels to hold the same toward the ribs and adapted to permit limited inward yielding movement thereof, a transparent top panel supported by certain of said resilient means, and retaining members for said top panel preventing edgewise or upward displacement thereof while permitting limited inward and downward displacement thereof on said resilient means.

6. A cabinet comprising side walls and end walls, transparent wall sections' mounted on the side walls, resilient retaining blocks carried by the end walls and .engaging the inner faces of said wall sections to yieldably support the same, a transparent top wall section extending between the end walls and overlying the top edges of the side wall sections and yieldably supported on certain of said resilient blocks in slightly spa-ced relationship to the adjacent edges of the side walls, and means carried by the end walls for engaging the top portion of the top wall section to secure it in position.

7 A cabinet comprisin side walls and end walls, transparent wal sections mounted on the side walls and inclining upwardly toward each other, resilient retaining blocks carried by the end walls and engaging the inner faces of said wall sections to yieldably support the same, a transparent top wall section extending between the end walls and overlying the top edges of the side wall sections and yieldably supported on certain of said resilient blocks in slightly spaced relationship to the adjacent edges of the side' walls, means carried by the end walls for engaging the top wall section to secure it in position, and one of said means being detachable whereby to permit removal of the top section.

JOHN B. WATLING. 

